THE GLORY OF GOD ( PART# 72)
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3370
THE GLORY OF GOD ( PART# 72)
From Glory to Glory ( Study #51)
Walking By The Spirit #21
The Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness #4
Prautes, the Greek word translated "Gentleness" in Galatians 5:23, means "to submit one's strength in a posture of meekness."
One part of gentleness is to calmly accept God's judgment regarding a situation, even if that judgment results in personal hardship. It is humility toward God. When we submit to God we will also be gentle with others.
The "gentleness" in the New Testament is closely related to wisdom and spiritual growth:
1. We are to submit our strength, including the strength of our convictions, to God's wisdom.
2. We are to teach God's point of view, not our own.
3. We are to accept that God's actions toward ourselves and others are the right actions, even when human wisdom thinks otherwise.
In our teaching approach, we should be respectful of others. We do not forcefully share truth or correction, browbeating others into accepting it. Instead, we share truth in a spirit of love (Ephesians 4:13–16).
James 1:21 expounds on the gentle nature we are to have toward God: "Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."
Sadly, our natural human nature is tainted by sin; it is filthy and wicked. Only God is good. We need to accept His word "in humility" or "with meekness"
(Prautes) in order to be saved. We must be "like a little child" to enter the Kingdom (Mark 10:15).
In addition, to be gentle is to accept the hardships He allows in our lives, considering them helpful for our spiritual development.
Abba Father, Gentleness is an inward grace that easily submits our own strength of will to Your Lordship.
Gentleness is the spirit and attitude behind repentance. To "repent" in a biblical sense is to change one's mind and believe that You are right.
Repentance is necessary for salvation, and we need to carry an attitude of repentance in a gentle spirit our entire lives. A gentle heart will accept Your wisdom and yield to Your discernment.
As a result, we will also be gentle with others, recognizing that they are created in Your image (Genesis 1:27) and loved by You (2 Peter 3:9).
Help us to understand that we can only be gentle as the Holy Spirit develops spiritual fruit in our lives.
Help us to understand that Gentleness is not a weakness but "strength under control."
